Second Iranian warship approaches Sri Lanka a day after US torpedo attack on IRIS Dena

Sri Lankan officials confirmed on Thursday that the second Iranian warship, IRINS Bushehr, was positioned just outside the country’s territorial waters.

The development has triggered fears that the vessel could face a similar attack, further widening the conflict already involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet spokesperson and minister Nalinda Jayatissa acknowledged the situation and said authorities were closely monitoring the warship’s movements.

Sri Lanka evaluates request for emergency port call

According to government sources, the Iranian vessel is carrying more than 100 crew members and has reportedly requested permission to enter a Sri Lankan port for safety.

Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa stated that the warship was waiting for clearance from the government.

He urged authorities to clarify their position regarding the request.

Posting on social media platform X, Rajapaksa called on the government to publicly explain its stance on whether the vessel would be allowed to dock.

Minister Jayatissa said Sri Lanka was focused on protecting human lives amid the escalating maritime tensions. Officials indicated that discussions were underway at the highest levels of government.

Emergency talks at Presidential level

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reportedly convened a meeting with senior officials to evaluate the situation and determine the country’s response.

The Iranian government has reportedly requested that the warship be allowed to move into Sri Lankan waters to ensure the safety of its crew.

At the same time, Sri Lankan naval authorities confirmed that search operations were continuing for dozens of sailors still missing after the destruction of the IRIS Dena.

Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath said rescue teams were still searching for approximately 60 crew members believed to be unaccounted for following the submarine attack.

Survivors undergoing treatments in Galle

Meanwhile, the southern port city of Galle has become the centre of rescue and recovery operations following the sinking of the Iranian frigate.

Authorities confirmed that 32 sailors rescued from the wreck were receiving treatment at the city’s main hospital.

Security forces, including police officers and elite commandos, have been deployed to guard the hospital ward where the injured sailors are being treated.

Officials were also preparing to hand over the remains of the 87 Iranian sailors who died in the attack.

The presence of Iranian naval personnel and the recovery process have heightened security in the coastal city as international attention focuses on the unfolding situation.

Attack expands conflict into Indian Ocean

The destruction of the IRIS Dena represents a major expansion of the ongoing war beyond the Persian Gulf, where the conflict had largely been concentrated.

The frigate had reportedly been returning from a naval exercise in Visakhapatnam when it was struck by a torpedo fired from a US submarine in the Indian Ocean.

According to reports, the warship issued a distress signal early on Wednesday morning.

However, by the time a Sri Lankan rescue vessel reached the location, the ship had already sunk beneath the waves.

The attack took place thousands of miles from Iran’s shores and marked one of the most dramatic naval confrontations of the ongoing conflict.

Iran warns of consequences

Iranian officials strongly condemned the attack, describing it as an unlawful strike in international waters.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the frigate had been operating far from Iranian territory when it was targeted.

He noted that the vessel had recently participated in exercises with the Indian Navy and described it as a “guest of India”.

In a statement on X, Araghchi warned that the United States would eventually regret the action and accused Washington of setting a dangerous precedent for naval warfare in international waters.

Wider conflict intensifies

The naval strike occurred as hostilities between Iran, the United States and Israel continue to intensify.

The conflict escalated after military operations launched by Washington and Tel Aviv last weekend targeted Iran’s missile infrastructure and nuclear facilities.

The campaign also resulted in the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who had ruled the country for decades.

Iran has since responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli and American bases across the region.

US President Donald Trump has suggested that removing the Iranian government could become an objective of the campaign.

However, officials have repeatedly shifted their descriptions of the operation’s goals and timeline, suggesting that the conflict could evolve into a prolonged confrontation.